Regional Research Project: Street Children in Albania, Bosnia- Herzegovina, Macedonia and Kosovo: Spaces and Identities in a Struggle for Survival

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1 Regional Research Project: Street Children in Albania, Bosnia- Herzegovina, Macedonia and Kosovo: Spaces and Identities in a Struggle for Survival Blerjana Bino, UET Centre/RRPP Researcher

2 Overview of the regional research project Project Title: Street Children in Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Macedonia and Kosovo: Spaces and identities in a struggle for survival. Location: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Macedonia Leading organization: European University of Tirana, Albania. Timeframe: July 2012 July 2013 Donor: Regional Research Promotion Programme, University of Fribourg; Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation

3 Overview of the regional research project Research area: Social and economic change and the challenges of (new) social disparities Number of institutions: 4 Number of researchers: 15 Female researchers: 11 Experienced in social sciences research project development particular interest on human rights, social inclusion, the rights of the child

4 European University of Tirana leading organisation facilitated by the UET Centre Marsel Cara, PhD Candidate Blerjana Bino, PhD Candidate Ani Plaku, MSc Iva Sinani, MSc Dr. Paula Mayock International Mentor Children s Research Centre - Trinity College Dublin, Ireland

5 Association Alumni of the Center for Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Studies in Bosnia and Herzegovina ACIPS Research Team BiH Gorana Mlinaravich, PhD Student Melina Sadikovic, MA Selma Avdic, MA

6 International Progressive Education & individual researcher in Kosova Research Team Kosova Erëblir Kadriu, PhD Student IPE Dardane Nuka, MSc IPE Arbër Murseli, MSc Independent Researcher

7 Research Team Macedonia Individual researchers Linda Ziberi, PhD Besa Arifi, PhD Diturije Ismaijli, MSc

8 Principles of the regional research project Qualitative research no attempts for generalisation critical of knowledge taken for granted; Scientific cooperation; Contextualisation; Common conceptual framework; Common methodology approach; Independent field work context; Lines of comparison;

9 Research project principal aim to examines the dynamics of lifestyles and diversity of profiles of street children in Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia and BiH with a particular focus on socialisation processes and identity construction within spaces of the street

10 Research project objectives legislation, policy framework and scholarship on street children ; street children socialisation and identity construction processes; contextualising street children phenomenon to the participating countries; dissemination and sharing scientific knowledge on the phenomenon - policy development processes and intervention programmes.

11 Desk research Survey of literature through secondary resources: International scholarship on the phenomenon: legislation, policy framework and research; Country background relevant to the project; National legislation framework; policy, interventions programmes; NGOs projects; research and related reports on the phenomenon; Review of psychological and sociological studies on the phenomenon; Development of conceptual framework and methodology approach

12 Research Methodology Contemporary studies on childhood as socially constructed (Ennew, 2003; James & Prout, 1998) Qualitative approach (Lucchini, 1996) Participatory action research (Ennew, 2003; Lucchini, 1996; James, 2001) Researcher as a street researcher (Alderson, 2000) Children as active social actors (Ennew, 2003)

13 Research Methods In-depth interviews with representatives of GOs and NGOs In-depth interviews with parents of street children

14 Research Methods Informal interviews with street children in the form of speech in action (semi-structured closed questions: age, gender, location, education etc.) Focus groups with street children in day centres/access to other services

15 Ethical consideration avoiding harm to participants in research; researcher/researched power relations; protection of children; informed consent; confidentiality; inclusive approach; accountability and welfare of research staff; recruitment and composition of focus groups.

16 Policy approaches on street children phenomenon The complex phenomenon is principally covered within the framework of human rights and children rights legislation and public policy; Few attempts to elaborate the concept; confusion in the use of the term; street children are seen either as victims of socio-economic hardship and endangered by their presence in the spaces of the street or as a possible threat to the rest of the society, i.e. the street criminalises children.

17 correctional or repressive-oriented policy approach that conceives street children as a danger to public order whose features differentiate from mainstream childhood intervention programmes that tend to normalise children ; protective or rehabilitative policy approaches, i.e. emphasising children needs and aiming at protecting and re-integrating them in family and mainstream society as demonstrated National Strategy for Children in Albania integration Recent intervention programmes from non-governmental organisations draw from the conceptualisation of children as social actors and attempt to include children in research and development of intervention programmes.

18 The fluidity of the concept of street children Multiplicity of definitions: children on the street; children of the street; children at risk; vulnerable children; marginalized children; children in street situations; Definitions based on family connection and intensity of involvement on the street; Dominant discourse socially constructed; picture of children and their families as lacking the values of the dominant society; Reinforcement of exclusion and marginalisation;

19 The fluidity of the concept of street children Social construction of street children leads to different social problems requesting different policy approaches; Street children do not form a homogeneous; The childhood is a process that is socially constructed and depends on the context; Conceptualisation of children as social actors Bringing from the margins to the centre of research and policy

20 Future research How to link research on the socialisation processes, identity construction and resilience of street children with policy development; Exploring the limits of public discourse on street children and an in-depth and critical analysis of the concept of street children in policy development as well as a conceptualisation of children based on their rights; The ways in which the government, civil society and education settings could contribute to construct a political participatory space for street children and marginalised youth.

21 Presentation of key findings, challenges and recommendations Gorana Mlinaravich - Senior Researcher ACIPS - Bosnia Herzegovina Arbër Murseli Senior Researcher - Kosova Linda Ziberi Senior Researcher - Macedonia Ani Plaku/Iva Sinani Researchers Albania